Christopher NolanandDenis Villeneuvehave both made several sci-fi masterpieces in recent years, and while they are fantastic sci-fi directors, the real king of the genre is returning next year.Nolan and Villeneuve’s countless successes have made them some of the most notable directors this century, but they are about to be dethroned when one of the most notable directors of all time dives back into sci-fi.
The sci-fi genre is one of the most popular genres for average audiences, with it becoming increasingly more prevalent throughout recent decades. Some of the biggest franchises of all time, includingStar Wars,Star Trek,Alien,The Terminator, and even the MCU are sci-fi, with the big-budget production design of sci-fi films often requiring them to be blockbusters.
Nolan has attempted to push the boundaries of what sci-fi can do with some of his original IP films, with his mind-bending stories captivating audiences. Meanwhile,Villeneuve has attempted to put his directorial touch on some major sci-fi franchises. However, both directors have clearly learned a lot from the master of sci-fi.
Christopher Nolan & Denis Villeneuve Have Made The Best Sci-Fi Blockbusters This Century
Inception, Dune, & More
When it comes to sci-fi, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have undoubtedly made the best sci-fi blockbusters this century. Christopher Nolan famously madeInception, which has become one of the most famous sci-fi movies of all time. It is so famous that it has been parodied countless times, with it being one of the most influential films of the 2010s.
Inceptionis far from the onlysci-fi blockbuster that Nolan has directed, however. 2006’sThe Prestigeis a low-key sci-fi film, 2014’sInterstellaris a massive space epic, and 2020’sTenetis another mind-bending action story in the same vein asInception. Sci-fi has become one of Nolan’s primary genres, and it seems like audiences will go see whatever original sci-fi project he makes.
Meanwhile, Villeneuve has also made a recent foray into the sci-fi genre starting in the mid-2010s. 2016’sArrivalwas a massive critical hit, with it putting a new twist on the alien story. The film was so popular that it got nominated for Best Picture among other Oscars. Villeneuve’sBlade Runner 2049also got nominated for Oscars, with it being the legacy sequel to the Ridley Scott classic.
Villeneuve is also the mind behind the modernDunemovie adaptations, which have been some of the biggest sci-fi hits of all time.DuneandDune: Part Twoare critically acclaimed, with them being massively successful. Villeneuve isn’t done with the genre, however, ashis adaptation ofDune Messiahis in the works.
Steven Spielberg Is Making A Return To The Genre He Mastered Decades Ago
With The Release Of Another UFO Movie
While Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve are great,Steven Spielbergis the real master of the sci-fi genre. Spielberg directedClose Encounters of the Third Kind,E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, andJurassic Park, all of which are iconic entries in the history of sci-fi. Spielberg has directed two of the most famous alien movies of all time, but they won’t be his last.
An untitled Steven Spielberg movie about UFOs is set to release in 2026, finally bringing Spielberg back to the genre for the first time in years. Almost nothing is known about the story outside of it being about a UFO, with the script being written byJurassic Parkscreenwriter David Koepp.
The Steven Spielberg UFO moviewill star Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and more. The film currently has a release date set for August 10, 2025. It isn’t known when a title or first trailer will be released, but Steven Spielberg fans are eagerly awaiting more news about the film.
Although Spielberg has made more recent sci-fi films, this UFO movie could be his true return. 2018’sReady Player Onewas his most recent sci-fi film, and while it and movies likeMinority ReportandA.I. Artificial Intelligencewere good, they weren’t as great as his Spielbergian classics. So, hopefully, this UFO movie is more like his sci-fi films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
The Summer Movie Season Is More Exciting With A Spielberg Blockbuster In The Mix
But Christopher Nolan Will Be There As Well
Having Steven Spielberg back in the summer movie season is exciting, as Spielberg blockbusters are what defined the summer season. The film’s June release means that the UFO movie is in the prime time of summer, being reminiscent ofSpielberg’s other classic summer blockbusters likeJaws.
Luckily, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve fans will also get some great movies in 2026. Christopher Nolan’sThe Odysseyis set to release on Aug 16, 2025. While it isn’t sci-fi, it is still another epic Nolan movie, and it will be coming out just over a month after Steven Spielberg’s UFO movie.
A bit later in the year, Denis Villeneuve will return as well. His adaptation ofDune Messiahis set to release on August 04, 2025, meaning that he will have a sci-fi movie releasing the same year as Spielberg’s. Having all three of these director Titans release movies within a year is incredibly exciting, meaning that 2026 is shaping up to be a great year for the movies.
Spielberg’s Sci-Fi Movie Can Give Him His First Hit In Years
After Two Big Box Office Failures
One of the mostexciting aspects about Steven Spielberg’s UFO movieis that it could give him his first hit in years. 2018’sReady Player Onewas Spielberg’s last big hit, with it making $607.9 million against a budget of $175 million. However, the two movies Spielberg made since then haven’t fared as well.
West Side StoryandThe Fabelmanswere both box office disappointments, with the former making $76 million against a $100 million budget and the latter making $45.6 million against a $40 million budget. While these were some of Spielberg’s best movies in years, their box office returns don’t reflect their critical acclaim.
However, a UFO movie has much broader appeal, with its star-studded cast and sci-fi premise making it more of a crowdpleaser thanThe Fabelman’s personal story.West Side Story’s box office was most likely negatively influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is something the UFO film won’t have to worry about.
So, it is entirely possible thatSteven Spielberg’sUFO film could be one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of 2026, reminding audiences whose boss after years of Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve’s reign.
